With daytime highs expected just above freezing this week, we recommend fishing mostly mid-day through the afternoon after the sun hits the water, allowing water temps to come up and both the fish and bugs to become more active. We have another shift in the weather pattern towards the end of the week with a warmer system expected to lay down a mix of rain and snow. While it’s not the large storm we are all hoping for, it’s a great sign that winter isn’t done just yet!

Truckee River Fly Fishing Report and Forecast

The Truckee continues to fish in its typical form this week, challenging angling for educated wild trout (not much ever changes here). With a good fly selection, proper rigging, and a good drift you will likely see fish, but this river never gives them up easily. While this time of year isn’t a numbers game, the quality of fish has remained very high, and we aren’t seeing fish much smaller than 14” with a lot reaching over 20”. The active bugs remain the same, and having a good selection of BWO’s, midges, Skwalas, eggs and worms will cover most your bases on this river in the winter. Using either an indicator or tight line set up has been working best with very little activity on the surface, despite the prolific hatches of midges as of late.

Streamer fishing remains a little spotty as of now, especially up at the higher elevations, and if throwing streamers is your thing, we recommend spending a day on the lower river east of Sparks for your best odds, especially if you time it on the overcast days in this week’s forecast. Baetis will likely be active during the stormy days if it doesn’t become too windy, and the lower river can be the best place to find some noses on these days as well. Look for fish to continue to hold in the slow deep pools here on the CA side, while east of Sparks they will be a little more spread out, occupying more medium speed water, riffles, and pocket water.